Uttar Pradesh Expands Iron Injection Therapy to Fight Maternal Anaemia

Uttar Pradesh has stepped up its fight against anaemia among pregnant women by widening access to an advanced intravenous iron treatment known as ferric carboxymaltose (FCM). The move builds on the national Anaemia Mukt Bharat programme, which aims to lower the burden of iron deficiency across the country. While iron and folic acid tablets remain the first line of prevention, the health ministry now backs injectable iron for pregnant women who need their haemoglobin levels corrected quickly, since a large dose can be given safely in a single sitting.

Anaemia remains one of the biggest threats to a safe pregnancy. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), close to 57 per cent of women aged 15 to 49 in India are anaemic, and in Uttar Pradesh more than half the women of reproductive age live with the condition. Because it often shows no obvious symptoms, it is frequently overlooked. During pregnancy, however, severe anaemia sharply raises the risk of heavy bleeding after childbirth, which is among the leading causes of maternal deaths in the country.

The state has paired the new therapy with stronger haemoglobin testing, closer tracking of high-risk pregnancies and better-trained health workers. Officials describe the approach as a shift from reacting to emergencies towards spotting vulnerable women early and linking them to care before complications arise. Doctors and nurses are being equipped through mentoring and updated clinical protocols to identify women with moderate to severe anaemia and begin treatment in time.

The results are visible at the district level. In Sitapur, decentralised FCM services began on April 28, 2026, expanding availability beyond the district women's hospital to six First Referral Units. Within two months of the rollout, more than 550 pregnant women diagnosed with moderate to severe anaemia received the therapy. For many, the change has been dramatic, with haemoglobin levels rising from dangerously low readings to safe levels within weeks of a single injection.

By combining early detection, timely treatment and care closer to where women live, Uttar Pradesh offers a working model of how maternal anaemia can be tackled at scale. The effort supports India's broader goal of ensuring safe motherhood for every woman and reducing preventable maternal deaths.